1.5 million motorcycle plates already distributed by LTO, chief says

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has already produced and distributed around 1.5 million plates to motorcycle owners around the country, its chief said on Wednesday.

"Dito sa bagong batas tungkol sa motorsiklo, nire-require ngayon na may plaka sa likod at plaka sa harap. Ginagawa na ng LTO 'yan, meron na tayong nagawang 1.5 million at naipamahagi na ito sa regions, at sa tulong ng dealers ng motorsiklo, ipinamamahagi na ito sa kanilang mga customer o kanilang kliyente," Assistant Secretary and LTO chief Edgar Galvante said in an interview on Unang Hirit.

The license plates will be bigger than those previously issued motorcycle plates and they come with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that included the details of the vehicle.

"Ang hinahabol natin is around 15 million plates, at sinimulan na 'yang gawin, ang plaka niyan nitong nakaraang taon, July 1 nag-start. Kaya sa ngayon meron na kaming nai-produce na at naipamahagi na mga 1.5 million," Galvante said.

Galvante made the comment as Senator Richard Gordon called for the arrest of riders without license plates in a bid to curb crimes involving riding-in-tandem.

"Aminin natin, ang kailangang gawin diyan is 15 million plates para ma-cover-an 'yung narehistro na mga 7.3 million, and in the process of registering. Hindi naman kasi ganoon kabilis 'yung paggawa ng plaka... Hindi lang 'yung bagong motorsiklo kundi kahit na 'yung dati nang may plaka papalitan din 'yan," he said.

As a temporary solution, Galvante said when apprehended by authorities, motorcycle riders without plates should present their vehicle file number showing their registration details.

In a Senate hearing, Gordon got frustrated after learning that only around 1,000 new plates had been produced by the LTO since the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11235 or the "Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act" was issued in May last year.

Mercy Jane Paras-Leynes, LTO Operations Division, later said in the hearing  that she was informed the LTO was already able to produce a million bigger license plates, not a thousand. But this did not pacify Gordon.

"It's called incompetence. You do not come here and tell us 1,000 tapos kapag tini-threaten kayo ng Blue Ribbon investigation magiging one million. Do you think we are fools here? You better prove that you have one million," he said.—AOL, GMA News